Thai whitened from head to toe

With a 'lightening vaginal wash', the cosmetic whitening industry has also conquered the most intimate place of the Thai woman this year. Now it's the turn of the man's body.

Through TV commercials and billboards, the Thai gentlemen get the message that they cannot be left behind. It's high time to lighten the skin. Literally from head to toe.

In drugstores and supermarkets it is difficult to find men's care products without 'whitening' on the shelf. Shaving cream, shower soap, body lotion, deodorant, foot spray ... Everything has recently been provided with magical substances that quickly whiten the skin and - with continued use - also keep it.

The packaging and advertising promise the irresistible look of radiant movie stars. Because Thai heroes of the silver screen without exception have relatively white skin. The same goes for many pop singers, news anchors and politicians. For success, according to the message, light skin is necessary.

Even the toughest Thai men feel attracted to the advertisement; the farmer's sons from the hot northeast apply oil without batting an eyelid. They're used to it. As boys, their mothers rubbed talcum powder into their faces every day to counteract the effects of the strong sunlight.

Success assured

Light skin is popular throughout Asia, but the Thai have always been more concerned about their appearance than, for example, the Indonesians or the Chinese. That is an important reason why international care brands – Nivea at the forefront – are first targeting the inhabitants of the former Siam with their latest informers. Success assured.

In addition, research this month showed that Thais are generally much more willing to try new products than other Asians. Progressive consumers? In any case, easy to influence. This certainly applies to the rapidly growing group of trendy young people. The country is therefore also a good market for Unilever cs to test products and marketing strategies.

But older and less trendy compatriots are also under the spell of whitewashing. They often resort to locally manufactured medicines, which they believe will achieve the desired result in a short time.

During her last visit, the cleaning lady proudly placed two strips of blue-purple pills on the table. In four weeks my skin will be a lot lighter, she proudly announced. She has to work for me eight times to pay for those local wonder tablets. And also runs the risk of nasty side effects. But when they work, they work better than the spreads!

White emergency aid

The importance of light skin is recognized at the highest level. For example, after the earthquake in Haiti, the Thai government decided to send 50.000 tubes of whitening cream to emergency aid. To the astonishment of the international aid agencies.

"We noticed that those Haitians are very dark," said a spokesman in the English language at the time Bangkok Post. "With lighter skin, they will feel more empowered to face their problems."

Do those ointments and pills help? On the street in the modern metropolis of Bangkok, the average Thai does indeed seem a bit lighter than roughly fifteen years ago. Could be because of those smears. But also because the life of the city dweller no longer takes place on the street, but in the new cooled shopping malls and entertainment centers. Or will the result be visible of the deluge of marriages between dark Thai women and white foreign men?

Speaking of those foreigners: Milk white will never become the Thai. 'Oh bah no', laughs the cleaning lady.